Web Content Viewer (JSR 286)

Web Content Viewer (JSR 286)

Export Requirements for Vietnam

VI-28 (May 27, 2015)

Asterisks (*) indicate the most recent revision to these requirements. To search, click on your browser's "Edit" menu, then click on "Find (on this page)". Enter "*" in the "Find What" field, then click "Find" or "Find Next" until all asterisks have been identified.

Eligible/Ineligible Products

Eligible

Beef meat, including bone-in and boneless, from animals less than 30 months of age, slaughtered on or before March 26, 2015, produced under an approved AMS Export Verification (EV) program. Information about the EV program for Vietnam and a list of EV approved establishments can be obtained from AMS' Web site.

Beef Offal

Beef heart, liver and kidney products from animals less than 30 months of age slaughtered on or after May 4, 2011 through March 26, 2015, produced under an approved AMS Export Verification (EV) program. Information about the EV program for Vietnam and a list of EV approved establishments can be obtained from AMS' Web site.

Beef intestine excluding the distal ileum, spleen, tongue, cheek meat, diaphragm, feet, lips, head meat, oxtails, testicles, penis, scrotum, abomasums, non-lactating udders, coronary arteries, tendons, rectum, sweetbreads, tripe, weasand, hanging tenders, inside skirt and outside skirt from animals less than 30 months of age slaughtered on or after January 25, 2014 through March 26, 2015, produced under an approved AMS Export Verification (EV) program. Information about the EV program for Vietnam and a list of EV approved establishments can be obtained from AMS' Web site.

A Statement of Verification (SOV) is not required as part of the export certification process for Vietnam. FSIS inspection personnel will continue to verify the eligibility of the establishment and product. The unique product identification system can be accessed by authorized FSIS inspection personnel from FSIS' Intranet site. Details of the Export Verification program can be accessed from the Export Verification (EV) Programs Additional Requirements page on the AMS' Web site.

If FSIS inspection personnel become aware of concerns that an AMS approved EV establishment is not properly executing its EV program, export certification should not be issued for the product in question and AMS should be notified at QAD.AuditService@ams.usda.gov. Inspection personnel should include their immediate supervisor on messages to AMS. The following information should be included in the message:

Establishment name, address, and establishment number

Product type, product code, and quantity of product

Date of production, lot number, and shift

Date and nature of observation

Name of country product is intended for export

Export certificate number (if applicable)

Any other information to verify claim

Name of inspection official

Veal and veal products are not subject to the EV program.

All beef and beef products derived from cattle of any age slaughtered on or after March 27, 2015. An AMS EV Program is no longer required for these products.

Poultry and poultry products except as indicated in the Ineligible section.

Poultry Offal

Poultry hearts and livers from birds slaughtered on or after April 1, 2011.

Note: All exporters that wish to export meat and poultry products to Vietnam must complete Appendix 3 template of "Circular 25". Exporters should work closely with importers and with industry - organizations such as the U. S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) and the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) for assistance in obtaining the Appendix 3 of Circular 25. Appendix 3 must be submitted to U.S. Embassy Hanoi staff at the following e-mail address: usda4circ25@gmail.com or by fax to U.S. Embassy Hanoi staff at: (011 - 84-4) 3850-5130. Following a perfunctory review by the Embassy, the original, hand-signed, Appendix 3 must be mailed to the U.S. Embassy’s Office of Agricultural Affairs in Hanoi, Vietnam for submission to Vietnam’s National Agro-Forestry and Fisheries Quality Assurance Department (NAFIQAD). Note: Exporters who wish to ship new products to Vietnam must re-submit a revised Appendix 3 indicating the facility’s desire to ship those products to Vietnam.

A warehouse is not required to register, however all product exported from a warehouse must be sourced from a facility or facilities on NAFIQAD’s list. The Exporter must work with the importer to ensure all establishments where product is sourced, appear on the NAFIQAD list. FSIS has no responsibility for this commercial process or verification that a plant is on NAFIQAD’s list.

Ineligible

Mechanically separated beef meat.

Product from advanced meat recovery systems containing vertebral column and skull from cattle 30 months of age or older.

Effective May 27, 2015, raw poultry and poultry products from Indiana and Nebraska are prohibited for export to Vietnam. *

Note: Shipments loaded before May 1 will still be allowed entry, but subject to extra inspection at port of entry.

Label Requirements for Fresh or Frozen Meat and Poultry

Vietnam requires (i) production date and (ii) expiration date or best-use-by date on label. Expiry date or best-use-by date should not exceed 18 months after production date.

The date of manufacture/production date/packing date and the expiration date or best-use-by date is preferred in the order of date, month, and year. The date shall consist of two numerals, month consists of two numerals, and year consists of two or four numerals. Dot symbol (.), dash (-), cross (/) or no symbol, can be used between date, month, year. The numbers indicating a single date, month and year sequence must be presented on the same line.

“Manufacture date” and “Expiration date” may be recorded with their abbreviation in upper-case letters as “MFG” and “EXP”, respectively. “Manufacture date” may also be referred to as “Production date” or “Packing date”. “Best-use-by” date may also be recorded with the words “Best before…”.

For example: if date of manufacture /production /packing is April 2, 2010 and expiry date/best-use-by date is October 2, 2011, they can be presented in accordance with the following formats:

MFG: 02.04.2010 EXP: 02.10.2011, or

MFG: 02-04-2010 EXP: 02-10-2011, or

MFG: 02/04/2010 EXP: 02/10/2011, or

MFG: 02042010 EXP: 02102011, or

MFG: 020410 EXP: 021011, or

MFG: 02042010 EXP: 18 months from MFG

Documentation Requirements

All FSIS export certificates accompanying the product must be signed by a FSIS veterinarian. The veterinary degree (DVM or equivalent) must be indicated after the signature.

For poultry and poultry products, including offal - obtain FSIS Form 9060-5, Meat and Poultry Export Certificate of Wholesomeness and the "FSIS Letterhead Certificate for Poultry and Poultry Products, including Poultry Offal for Export to Vietnam.

For beef meat, including bone-in and boneless, and offal products from cattle less than 30 months of age. In completing the FSIS Form 9060-6, Application for Export, the following statement must be included: "The product meets EV requirements for Vietnam". Obtain FSIS Form 9060-5, Meat and Poultry Export Certificate of Wholesomeness and the FSIS Letterhead Certificate for the Export of Beef Meat, Including Bone-In and Boneless, and Offal Products to Vietnam.

For beef and beef products from cattle of any age slaughtered on or after March 27, 2015. Obtain FSIS Form 9060-5, Meat and Poultry Export Certificate of Wholesomeness and the FSIS Letterhead Certificate for the Export of Beef and Beef Products (including Bone-in and Deboned Beef and Beef Offal Products) to Vietnam from Cattle Slaughtered in the United States.

Protein-free beef tallow. The following certification statement must be included in the "Remarks" section of FSIS Form 9060-5 for protein-free tallow:

"The protein-free tallow covered by this certificate has been tested for content of insoluble impurities with the results below 0.15% in weight."

This certification statement will be included on the export certificate based on the presentation of a certificate issued by an independent laboratory report (not belonging to the exporter and/or the manufacturer).

All federally inspected establishments are eligible to export to Vietnam. However, facilities must register a Circular 25 Appendix 3 with NAFIQAD and be listed on NAFIQAD’s “Approved for Export List” before shipping product to Vietnam. For questions, please contact the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam at usda4circ25@gmail.com. Beef products must originate from AMS EV approved establishments.